Hebrews 10:19-23

So encouragement, I want to start by defining the terms. What do we mean when we talk about encouraging one another?

! And when I speak encouragement, what have we got in mind? I think we've got to dismiss from our thinking that kind of soggy, soppy, feeble idea of encouragement.

So if you read the Bible in an older translation, you might know the word comfort. So let's think about that. What do we use for the word comfort?

Some of you children might have a blanket or a blankie. That is a comfort blanket, isn't it? And so you can't get to sleep without a tan or this blanket.

And we feel that comforting is something like that. Pulling an arm around someone, saying, there, there, cheer up, don't cry.

Now the Holy Spirit does do that. But the word comfort is stronger than that. It means someone who stands by you.

Somebody who stands by you to make you strong. The Latin word comfort is to have a fort put into you, to be brave.

Psalm 23 says, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Now I doubt when you go home to bed tonight, you children, you would get a rod or a staff with you and snuggle up to that. You wouldn't do that.

But a rod and a staff, they are an excellent thing to make you strong and brave in a dark valley, in the presence of wild beasts.

That's when you need a strappled staff and you need a rod.

And when we think of comfort and encouragement, that is the idea that we need to have.

Encouragement is not necessarily soothing and quieting.

Encouragement isn't necessarily gentle.

But it's something inspiring and something inspiriting.

It's to set us on our feet.

To encourage someone is to fill them with moral energy, determination, enthusiasm.

Encouragement is to make us stronger.

Encouragement is to make us braver than we naturally are.

And so we read of Judas and Silas, two Christians that went back to the Antioch church in the book of Acts.

After the council of Jerusalem.

And in Acts chapter 15 and verse 32.

Acts 15 · chapter mention

We're told, we can just get there, Acts 15 verse 32.

Acts 15:32

We're told, Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets.

Encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.

So to encourage is to strengthen.

To strengthen people to keep going.

So you think of a marathon.

And the marathon runners are encouraged by those who are lining the streets.

And they urge them to keep going.

Or it can be to be encouraged to get started.

So we have dreams that we have visions and good ideas and intentions of things that we're going to do.

But we never get around to actually doing them.

Perhaps we're shy.

Perhaps we're frightened.

Perhaps we're lazy.

And whatever the reasons.

We never actually do these things.

And an encourager is somebody who gets us going.

Who goes us into doing what we're reluctant to do.

And we encourage one another.

Now encouragement comes from God.

God is the great encourager.

We'll see something of that tonight.

And we'll see something of that over the coming weeks.

And many times God encourages us directly.

And we'll think about that.

But we also need to realise that God often uses means.

And the means that God uses are our fellow believers.

So Hebrews 10, 24 which we read.

Let us consider how to stir up one another.

How to encourage one another to love and good deeds.

So my aim in these three sermons.

Is that we would learn to do this more as a church family.

That we would go home on each of these three Sunday evenings.

Saying God wants me to be an encourager.

And that's something I must do.

And I want to begin tonight with the need for encouraging one another.

We need to be convinced as a church family.

That this is something important.

Something that's vital.

And it's absolutely necessary.

Because if we don't believe that.

Well we won't do it.

We won't give ourselves to it.

It is costly.

To be an encourager actually is painful.

And sometimes difficult.

And it's not an easy thing.

So we need to be totally persuaded.

Of it's vital importance.

Four reasons.

Why we need to encourage one another.

So right.

First of all.

The absence of encouragement.

The absence of encouragement.

I wonder how would you assess.

The psychology.

And the self image of Christians you know.

I wonder how you do that.

Would you say that the average Christian.

That you know.

Is self confident.

Popular.

And optimistic.

Now unfortunately.

Too many Christians are far too self confident.

And they're far too pleased with themselves.

Aren't they?

And they're far too happy with themselves.

That is one of the great great weaknesses.

Of the Christian church today.

There is isn't there.

A rampant.

Feel good.

Therapeutic.

Vision.

Of Christianity.

You can see it on the God channel.

So a religion.

That has as its target.

That you are to make people.

Feel happy about themselves.

That we are to encourage.

Above everything else.

A positive mental attitude.

About yourself.

So they teach that.

The purpose of Christianity.

Is to make you feel good about yourself.

Joel O'Steam will say.

Well what does God say to us?

He says.

Love your neighbour.

As yourself.

In other words.

You can't love your neighbour.

Unless you're first loving yourself.

And so your first duty.

As a Christian.

Is to love yourself.

And then if you love yourself.

You will be free to love your neighbour.

I will say.

That is.

Heretical.

And that is a perversion.

Of what Jesus is saying.

Jesus knows.

That we do love ourselves.

We love ourselves far too much.

Our self love.

Gets us into all sorts of trouble.

And Jesus is saying.

There is the.

You should give yourself to loving your neighbour.

He is not commending or encouraging.

Self love.

He is speaking about.

Sacrificial love of our neighbour.

And that whole atmosphere.

Is intensely harmful.

And it breeds.

A generation of Christians.

Who are shallow.

And frivolous.

And they are taken in.

By all sorts of nonsense.

And they don't have.

Tender consciences.

And they don't have.

A real awareness.

Of the awfulness of sin.

They have little.

Concept.

Of the.

Majestic.

Greatness of God.

And it is.

Deplorable.

But here is the point.

What some Christians have done.

Is they have seen that.

They spot the error with that.

But they have overreacted.

And they have gone to the other extreme.

As Christians.

Unfortunately.

Tend to do.

And reformed churches.

Like ours.

Are no different.

And so you can have churches.

Like ours.

Which believe the same things as we do.

Where there is very little encouragement.

Where the great goal.

Is to stop people becoming proud.

Where there is far more emphasis.

On rebuke and correction.

Than loving commendation.

And encouragement.

And it is grim.

And it is frowning.

And it is negative.

And the view is.

Well that is the way.

That God wants us to be.

And sadly some churches.

That have wonderful.

Confessions of faith.

Are not encouraging places.

And in fact.

They are discouraging.

And so you can probably think of.

Young people who grow up.

Terrified.

To come to the Lord's table.

That they have been told.

With such terrifying stress.

That you can come unworthily.

But they are paralysed.

And they feel.

How could I ever go.

That cannot be right.

We don't want people.

Do we.

To come flippantly.

And frivolously.

And thoughtlessly.

But neither do we.

Want people to go to the other extreme.

And sadly.

Many people in churches.

Like ours.

Are not confident.

Vibrant.

Energetic people.

They are discouraged.

And depressed.

And they are battered.

And scarred.

And timid.

And shy.

And fearful.

And life is hard.

For many people.

As it is.

You look back.

On the last six months.

Of.

Life.

In this congregation.

And.

There has been illness.

There has been bereavement.

And other stress.

And there are many Christians.

Who are burdened.

And life is difficult.

For them.

Life is difficult.

Living in London.

Some of your work situations.

Are very.

Very discouraging.

We have personal weaknesses.

Don't we.

In sins.

We know.

Of the struggle.

Of Romans 7.

All of us.

Have things in our life.

That we wrestle with.

And we weep over.

All of us do.

And we cry to God.

Don't we sometimes.

Oh wretched man.

Oh wretched woman.

That I am.

I see the good.

I know I should do it.

I want to do it.

But I.

I don't do it.

And there are sins.

And in my better moments.

I hate them.

And I actually despise myself.

For doing them.

But I.

I do them.

And I do them again.

And we know that's the case.

We live.

Don't we.

In a very impersonal.

Lonely society.

Where many of the structures.

Of the past.

That kind of kept.

People together.

And provided friends.

Have broken down.

And churches.

In churches.

There are very many lonely people.

And people are burdened.

And struggling.

And lonely.

Battered by the world.

And appreciated.

And I think.

There are many people.

Who are dying of thirst.

For the water of encouragement.

Godly.

Biblical encouragement.

Not psychological massaging.

But true.

Scriptural encouragement.

If that analysis is correct.

I think it is.

You can imagine the damage.

We're doing.

Can't you.

The damage we do.

By constantly scolding.

And rebuking.

And pointing out.

Flaws.

And shortcomings.

And failures.

Many Christians.

Get the balance wrong.

In the other direction.

People are longing.

To be encouraged.

Now some of you.

May need rebuking.

Some of you.

May need to be broken.

Before the Lord.

And there may be.

Something in your life.

That God has to show you.

And point out to you.

And it's very very painful.

But there are many others.

Who do need to feel.

God's arms of love.

And strength.

Lifting you up.

We are not living.

In an encouraging world.

We are not living.

In encouraging times.

And sadly.

Many of our churches.

Are not encouraging places.

The need for encouragement.

Let me give you second.

The duty of encouragement.

Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

And verse 6.

And give us the duty.

Of encouragement.

Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.

Let us use them.

If prophecy in proportion to our faith.

And then down in verse 8.

It says this.

It says the one who exalts.

In his exhortation.

Keep on doing it.

So there is.

A particular spiritual gift.

A facility.

A skill.

A talent.

For encouraging.

For exalting.

Cranfield.

In his commentary on Romans.

It's very good.

Links it with the duties.

Of somebody who's been called.

To Christian ministry.

To teach and so on.

He said it is the gift.

Of helping Christians.

Live out their obedience.

To the gospel.

And so in past centuries.

There were men in churches.

Who were called exhorters.

Who were encouragers.

Because they're tasked to do that.

But the New Testament.

Also tells us.

An encouragement.

Is not a gift.

That's just given to the few.

But it's also a duty.

That's given to every single believer.

So the writer of Hebrews.

Describes the whole book.

Doesn't he?

Hebrews 12.

13.

22.

As a word of encouragement.

That's what he says.

That's what the book of Hebrews is.

It's a word of encouragement.

And he gives us specific commands.

Hebrews chapter 3.

Hebrews 3 · chapter mention

And verse 12 and 13.

Take care brothers.

Lest there be in any of you.

An evil unbelieving heart.

Leading you to fall away from the living God.

But exhort one another.

Encourage one another every day.

As long as it calls today.

So that none of you right.

May be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

That is God's word to you.

And to me.

That we are to encourage one another.

Not occasionally.

But daily.

Or again.

The portion that we read.

Hebrews 10.

24 and 25.

Let us consider.

How to stir up one another.

To encourage one another.

To love and good works.

Not neglecting to meet together.

As is the habit of some.

But encouraging one another.

And all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Encourage one another.

And so to encourage one another.

Is a Christian duty.

Is a Christian command.

It's all extra.

It's not for the few.

Who are particularly gifted in that regard.

There's no hesitation.

Or qualification.

But we are all to encourage one another.

Let me read you a few words from John Brown.

Christians are not merely to be concerned about their improvement.

And safety as individuals.

But as members of one body.

They are to seek to promote.

Each other's best interests.

They are to attend to each other's wants.

Infirmities.

Temptations.

And dangers.

And to administer suitable assistance.

Advice.

Caution.

Admonition.

And consolation.

And so think back on the last seven days.

Mark yourself out of ten.

How would you score?

How much encouraging of other Christians have you done?

But we are to do it.

It is a command.

It's an obligation.

It's a duty.

I hope none of us would come to the ten commandments and say.

I don't fancy nine and ten this week.

I don't really think.

Thou shalt not commit adultery.

I'm not sure whether I'll care.

None of us would be like that.

Would we?

We'd say it's wrong for me to do that.

This is God's law.

Why not to obey it?

Well there's another law.

And another commandment.

And that's to encourage one another daily.

To encourage one another is easy to day approaching.

It's a Christian duty for you and me.

To be encouragers.

Third reason.

The pattern of encouragement.

One thing is to say.

Thou shalt encourage.

But the wonderful thing about the Bible.

Is it gives us a pattern.

Christian duty.

Like all.

All of God's commandments.

Christian accouchement.

All of God's commandments.

Are a reflection of the nature of God.

God's laws are not arbitrary.

God's laws are a reflection of himself.

Of his being.

So thou shalt not bear false witness.

You shall not lie.

Why should you not lie?

Because God is a God of truth.

You shall not commit adultery.

Why should you not commit adultery?

Because God is a God of faithfulness.

God's laws are a reflection of himself.

They are not arbitrary.

God didn't think I've been having.

Well.

Shall I say you shall not commit murder?

Shall you commit murder?

Or shall you not commit murder?

I think I'll say.

Thou shalt not commit murder.

That's arbitrary isn't it?

No.

God's laws.

Flow out of what he's like.

And who he is.

God's laws are a shining into the world.

Of the character.

And the glory of God.

And we obey his law.

When we're reflecting him.

That's why David can say.

You can't see.

That statement.

Which we find so difficult.

Oh how I love your law.

Because the law shows us.

The character of God.

And if that is true.

We should find.

We should read that God is an encouraging God.

That is not some of the picture.

That is not the picture that some people have of God.

Is it?

But the God of the Bible.

Is supremely essentially and everywhere.

An encouraging God.

In fact the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Of God the Holy Spirit.

Is summed up as encouragement.

So the Greek word.

You might know it.

Sometimes we use it in English.

That word of paraclete.

What is that?

It is to encourage.

He is the encourager.

To exhort.

What does the paraclete do?

He stands by your side.

He puts strength into you.

He helps you.

And the Holy Spirit is your encourager.

And he fills us with strength.

And faith.

And courage.

And he shows us the glory of Christ.

That is the supreme encouragement.

Isn't it?

That he keeps before us.

The promises of God.

And the Holy Spirit brings them into our minds.

And he fastens them in our hearts.

So that by faith we now hold.

On the exceedingly great and precious promises of God.

And so we are encouraged.

And for every crisis and difficulty we meet in life.

There is a promise.

There is a promise.

And an assertion of God's power.

And grace.

And wisdom.

And providence to encourage us.

And the Holy Spirit seals the promises of God to us.

The Holy Spirit assures us of Christ's love.

Of God's love.

It's a vast subject.

That he bears witness with our spirits.

That we are the children of God.

And in these.

And in many, many other ways.

The Holy Spirit is the great encourager.

And it is the power and fullness of the Spirit.

That we need to deliver us from our fears.

And our discouragements.

And our introversion.

And we must pray for the Spirit.

And we must plead for his fuller working in our lives.

We must be careful not to grieve him.

Not to quench him.

The Spirit encourages us.

What's less known.

Is God's repeated encouraging.

The Father encouraging the Son.

So in Isaiah 42 verse 1.

Isaiah 42:1

God refers to his servant.

Whom I uphold.

And time and again.

Time and again.

In our Lord's earthly ministry.

There's critical moments.

And you see God the Father.

And encouraging God the Son.

So on the banks of Jordan.

The threshold of Jesus' public ministry.

He's come out of that kind of quiet life in Nazareth.

He's out of the car.

Up in the shop.

And he is just identified with sinners.

He's received baptism from John.

And he's about to begin his public ministry.

His saving work.

And then something happens.

Something happens.

Suddenly a voice comes from heaven.

And says this is my beloved Son.

With whom I'm well pleased.

I try to imagine the feeling in our Lord's mind and heart.

As he heard those words.

What that must have meant to him.

The people who heard it.

They must have been influenced by that.

Isn't it?

But what influence on him?

How kind and fatherly.

How.

It's almost a proud father.

Isn't it?

He's a father who is overwhelmed with pleasure.

At what his son has just done.

And he tells him so.

And he tells others.

That is God.

Encouraging.

It's the same on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The shadow of Calvary and the cross is coming ever closer.

And growing very dark.

And the Lord is this young healthy man.

It's not so much death that he fears.

But as what would proceed and accompany it.

And in Matthew 17 verse 5.

Matthew 17:5

You find the same words.

This is my beloved son.

With whom I'm well pleased.

Hear him.

And again the father is encouraging the son.

Isn't he?

Or you feel the dreadful agony of God.

And of Gethsemane.

And those mysterious words of 26 verse 38.

Here's Jesus speaking.

As a man to men.

And he says.

My soul is exceedingly sorrowful.

Even after death.

Stay here and watch with me.

So he is asking.

Can you imagine that?

He's asking Peter and James and John to help him.

He's asking them to stay with him.

To stay awake.

And to watch with him.

There's nothing macho superman about the Lord Jesus is there.

You know that kind of Christian isn't it?

They've always got a smile on their face.

They never have any worries.

They are the answer to every problem.

And they never make any mistakes.

There's never any downs.

There's never any insecurities.

There's never any doubts.

No they can rise triumphantly above it all.

They're a pain in the neck aren't they?

And yet we see the perfect saviour.

We see the sinless holy son of God.

Confiding in his friends.

And saying to them.

I feel so sorrowful.

That I feel it's going to kill me.

My friends stay here and watch with me.

The son of God needs encouragement.

Then we're told in Luke 22.43.

Are we that an angel appeared to him from heaven.

Strengthened him.

God sent a celestial messenger down into that garden.

To encourage him to strengthen his son.

And a crisis in his life.

A Christian scholar.

Eccentric.

John Duncan.

Rabbi Dunstan.

Said when I get to heaven.

I'm looking forward to meeting one of the angels.

And it won't be Gabriel.

And it won't be Michael.

I want to meet the angel that came and strengthened my Lord.

And you have a picture of a father.

Watching over the son.

In the way that a parent watches over a toddler.

A picture of him watching his every move.

Almost fussing over him.

Speaking a vital word.

At critical moments.

To strengthen and encourage him.

Here is the pattern of encouragement.

It is the encouraging God.

Who encourages us by his spirit.

Who encouraged his son.

And when we encourage one another.

We are being God like.

We are being God like.

Encouragement is needed because there is a lack of it.

Because there is a duty.

Because God is our pattern.

And lastly we need to be encouragers.

Because of the power of encouragement.

The power of encouragement.

Encouragement.

Is an immensely powerful force.

I don't know whether you've been to those school assemblies.

You've heard young children.

You've heard young children.

You know what it's like.

You go to the school assembly.

And there is some kind of.

Slightly unbearable performance.

That goes on.

And there is small children that are there.

And it is the most infectious.

Encouraging atmosphere.

And so the little child stands up.

Spots his parents.

And smiles nervously.

And forgets his lines.

And everybody is willing.

The whole room is willing.

This child to say the words.

And the teacher smiles at him.

And whispers the words.

You can do it.

You can remember the words.

It's an infectious.

Powerful atmosphere of love.

One of encouragement.

And enthusiasm.

You can't.

You can't.

being a football ground or a rugby ground

where your team are the enderdogs

and you scream encouragement

it's a very powerful atmosphere

and conversely critical and hurtful words

are the opposite aren't they

they're so damaging

and they can cause pain so severely

and for such a long time

the teenager who is overweight

and teased at school

the person with a speech impediment

who is made fun of

and then we say

fixing stones may break my bones

but words can never hurt me

it's a lie isn't it

we know that

that is not true

words can hurt

dreadfully

I was at the bedside of a dying man

once he was in his 80s

he was dying

and over 65 years earlier

one of his sisters had died

from TB in the spine

he was playing on a swing

she'd fallen off and she'd hurt her spine

developed into TB

and she'd died

this man was in his 80s

and he started crying

when Mary fell

Annie said I laughed

but I didn't laugh

I didn't laugh

he said

65 years later

he'd never forgotten it

he'd never forgotten it

you hear a mother saying to a child

saying you are stupid

you stupid child

don't ask him

we say don't we

he did a foolish thing

he did a silly thing

what you did was wrong

but that is different

Proverbs 12 verse 18

Proverbs 12:18

we're told that there is one

who speaks

like the piercing

of a sword

that same script

doesn't it

it affirms to us

the tremendously

positive

influence

of our words

Job 4 verse 4

Job 4:4

Abathas says to Job

your words

have upheld me

your words

have upheld him

who was stumbling

one translation is

your words have kept men

on their feet

here's a picture of an

at the end of his tatter

and he is weak

and he is staggering

and he is stumbling

he is about to fall

and somebody lets

puffs of air

out of their mouth

and those words

infuse such strength

and courage

that the man

or woman

does not stumble

Proverbs 12 verse 25

Proverbs 12:25

says anxiety

in the heart of man

causes depression

but a good word

makes it dead

Proverbs 15 verse 4

Proverbs 15:4

a wholesome tongue

is a tree of life

but perverseness

in it breaks the spirit

you can break

someone's spirit

by what you say

or you can pour

life into them

Proverbs 16 verse 24

Proverbs 16:24

gracious words

are like a honeycomb

sweetness to the soul

and health to the body

Proverbs 18 verse 21

Proverbs 18:21

death and life

are in the power

of the tongue

you are made

in the image of God

and God has given you

an awesome

utterly awesome

power

and it has been

given to you

by your creator

and by your redeemer

and it is the power

of speech

I wonder if you ever

really sat down

for half an hour

and thought

of speech

what an incredible

and awesome

thing it is

what it can accomplish

for good

or ill

we all experience

it

I like you

can be upset

and weakened

and discouraged

by what someone

says to me

perhaps I should be

perhaps I should have

a thicker skin

perhaps I should be able

to laugh it off

but often I find

that hard to do

but also

I can be energized

can't I

and encouraged

and strengthened

and filled with

enthusiastic eagerness

to do more

we say

it's only words

the bible says

it is life and death

it is health

it is keeping people

on their feet

and it is bringing

joy and gladness

and transforming

people's lives

by sensitive

compassionate

Christ centred

godly speech

let me close

by an incident

from the life

of a man

called Larry Crab

I don't wholeheartedly

recommend

a lot of his books

by any means

they're a mixture

but he tells

a good story

he tells us

that when he was

a teenager

very nervously

he prayed

in public

for the first time

here's what he says

filled less

with worship

than with nervousness

I found my theology

becoming confused

to the point of heresy

I remember thanking

the father

for hanging on the cross

and praising Christ

for triumphantly

bringing the spirit

from the grave

stuttering throughout

I finally thought

of the word

amen

perhaps the first

evidence

of the spirit's

leading

I said it

and sat down

I recall

staring at the floor

too embarrassed

to look up

does this resonate

with any of you

too embarrassed

to look around

solemnly vowing

never again

to pray

or speak aloud

in front of a group

when the service

was over

I darted to the door

not wishing

to encounter

an elder

who might feel

obliged

to correct

my twisted theology

but I wasn't

quick enough

an older Christian

man named

Jim Dunbar

intercepted me

put his arm

on my shoulder

and cleared

his throat

to speak

I remember

thinking to myself

here it comes

oh well

just endure it

and get to the car

I then listened

to this gentleman

speak words

that I can still

repeat today

more than 20 years

later

Larry said

there is one

thing I want

you to know

whatever you do

for the Lord

I'm behind you

a thousand percent

Kraft says

even as I write

these words today

my eyes are filled

with tears

those words

were life words

they had power

my resolve

to now speak

in public

again

weakened instantly

now that

Christian man

he didn't

tell lies

he didn't

flatter him

he didn't

say it was

a good prayer

because it

wasn't a good

prayer

he put his

arm around him

and said

whatever you do

for the Lord

I'm behind you

a thousand percent

and he changed

that young man's

life

and God

has given us

this ministry

of encouraging

one another

and what a

beautiful ministry

it is

to have

that you can

send people

home this evening

thanking God

that they met you

and that you

spoke to them

feeling better

for it

and stronger

and more

committed to the

Lord

helping our

brothers and

sisters

in Christ

humbly

and thankfully

this ministry

that God

has given

to us

that we

may see

people

changed

that we

may keep

people going

that we

might get

people started

doing something

that they've

never done

before

that there

might be

new life

in our

church

that the

Holy Spirit

would stimulate

us and bless

us and set

us moving

because

we're not

biting each

other

and devouring

each other

and not stabbing

each other

in the back

we're not

tearing each

other down

we're not

criticizing each

other

we're not

ignoring each

other

we're not

just talking

about nonsense

but we're

encouraging each

other and

building each

other up

and may God

help us

to seek to

give ourselves

to this

ministry

!

to be

to be

to be